Hours before he died, Gandolfini told Mario Sesti by phone how much he was looking forward to the next leg of his Italian vacation.

He was heading for Taormina in Sicily, a quaint town packed with historical architecture and nestled between lush green hills and the azure waters of the Mediterranean Sea.

There, he was to receive an award at a local film festival held before the backdrop of an ancient Roman arena.

Sesti, who heads the festival, was eagerly awaiting Gandofini’s arrival Friday. He was shaken by the news of his death.

Sesti will replace the award ceremony with a tribute to Gandofini’s lifetime achievement.

“He was the American actor who better than anyone else was able to interpret the Italian-American society, with all of its rich contrasts, ambitions, pain, humor,” Sesti said.

Possible health risks

Though the cause of death is not yet known, his managers believe that a heart attack killed the man who portrayed Tony Soprano, a washed-up mob boss prone to keeling over from panic attacks.

He was 51.

“This is young to have a heart attack, even when you look at any pre-existing health conditions,” CNN chief medical correspondent Sanjay Gupta said. Usually, first heart attacks don’t strike until the victim is older than 60.

But risk factors such as obesity, smoking, lack of exercise and stress can cause them to occur earlier in life, Gupta said.

“He loved his food. He didn’t push back from the table,” said journalist Larry King, who spent time with the actor on and off camera.

Photos and anecdotes indicate that Gandolfini enjoyed cigars.

Though intense outbursts of adrenaline-infused anger were a mainstay of Tony Soprano’s character, he was a far cry from Gandolfini.

Jovial, fun, reserved

Colleagues described him as funny, kind and gentle. He had a reputation for often being reserved and quiet. He didn’t seek publicity, avoiding media coverage, journalists have said.